Church youth bring new life to Orchards home

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Earlier this month, a contingent of church youth from Battle Ground Baptist Church along with adult help descended on the southeast corner of the neighborhood in Orchards to provide a fresh coat of paint and yard work for a house that had gotten behind on its maintenance. The project was the first in what church officials hope will become a recurring series of missions focused on locals in the community instead of trips to faraway places for aid.

From Aug. 13-17 volunteers helped out at the location. Recently-instated Battle Ground Baptist Youth Pastor Chase Bains said the work mission was the first project since he joined the church’s staff, adding that the interim youth pastor, Andy Pleiss, had spearheaded the idea.

About 12-15 kids took part, Bains said. The work came about through a plea from homeowner Carol Murphy to neighbor Brian Katz, a member of the church’s board of elders.

Murphy is a widow, having lost her husband a few years back, Katz said. Living on a tight budget made the cost of keeping up the outside of the house less of a priority before the local homeowner’s association was pressuring for some work to be done.

In came a troop of Battle Ground Baptist youth and other, older volunteers, to spring into action. Katz connected with church lead pastor Shawn Newberry who had been looking at doing a mission closer to home, focusing on widows and orphans, given the New Testament directive to do so. 

Diane Brown, co-director for Battle Ground Baptist’s missions group, explained that oftentimes the church’s short-term missions would be focused on “somewhere else” be it another part of the United States or even another country. She said keeping the focus in Clark County was a new twist on their usual efforts. 

“I think that this is a really good lesson for the kids that you don’t have to go to a faraway place, you don’t have to go to another country to be able to serve,” Bains said. “You can make an impact even in your own backyard.”

The work was done during one of the hotter weeks in Clark County, though the group had a few ways to keep cool during the project, utilizing a canopy tent and plenty of fluids to beat the heat. The church finished off the week with a celebration dinner Friday evening featuring Murphy.



Outside of volunteers directly putting in effort, Bains noted that other church members have helped in providing lunches to the crew as well as praying for the mission. In an email Pleiss noted that Battle Ground Sherwin Williams and Rich Ezetta Stump Grinding aided by donating supplies and services to the project.

On Aug. 15, volunteers were wrapping up with painting and trim work. Fulton Browne, 13, helped filling in the holes from stumps removed on the lawn, having previously taped the windows to ready them from painting.

Browne said the location was only several minutes from the church making it logistically easier than an international excursion. Overall the experience was a positive one for the Clark County teen.

“I’ve really enjoyed it,” Browne remarked about the mission.

Matthew Loveall, 15, pressure-washed the house facade and driveway and did some sanding work, things he had some experience doing previously but never for a church mission. He said he would do a similar mission if it happened again, noting that although the heat provided a challenge it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle.

“Staying hydrated is really key,” Loveall commented.

Murphy was thrilled to have the work done.

“It’s kind of something that is out of this world, that you never dream is going to happen,” Murphy remarked. “The young people have really been working hard.”